Sound and moving picture



J. w. EARLY 2,022,108

SOUND AND MOVING PICTURE REPRODUCING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 26, 1935.

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v SOUND AND MOVING PICTURE REPRODUCING MACHINE Filed Aug. 11, 1934 a Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIIIIIIII/I/Z \\\A\\\ Inventor. James WEE flzfarney- Nov. 26, 1935. r. w. EARLY 2,022,108

SOUND AND MOVING PICTURE REPRODUCING MACHINE Filed Aug. 11, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet s Invenfo r.

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Patented Nov. 26, 1935 PATENT OFFICE SOUND AND MOVINGiPIOTURE REPRODUOING MACHINE James W. Early, Los Angeles,"Calif.,' assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to J. W.' G. Curtiss, Inez M. Walcott and J. W. Gt. 'Curtiss administrator of said James W. Earlyrdeceased Application August 11, 1934, Serial N."739,368

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in 'my sound and moving picture reproducing machine, application for patent for which was filed March 20, 1931, Sr. No. 524,008, and the principal object of this invention is to prevent vibration of the mechanical parts in the sound head that are associatedparticularly with the sound gate, exciter lamp, optical lens and photo-electric cell, all of which parts, as shown in my application for patcut, coact to reproduce the sounds of an episode from a sound track.

The above mentioned mechanical devices, as shown in my. prior application, while operating with great efficiency, have been greatly improved so that in addition to eliminating practically all vibrations in operation, are also highly adjustable so that absolute accurate fitting of the parts together. is. accomplished.

A feature of invention is shown in the'construction of the exciter lampstand whereby a rapid'and accurate change from lamp to lamp is accomplished in the eventthat a lamp burns out while the machine is in operation. v

Another feature of invention is shown' in the construction and operation of the sound gate, whereby it can be quickly opened and closed for threading the moving'picture film through the gate; and also it is removable for replacement'or o V repairs in the event that any of the parts become defective.

Another feature of invention is shownin the construction and operation of the meter for properly positioning the optical lens relative to the sound track on the moving picture film and the exciter lamp; and also in the means for locking the mechanism in place after a proper adjustmentis accomplished.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention, .in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmental side view of the sound head ofmyimprovedsound and moving picture machine; audit. is analogous to Fig. 4 in my prior application for UnitedStates Patent hereinbe- 4, forementioned; in this figure, however-,1 semio diagrammatically show my improvements in exciter lamp support, lens meter and film gate.

-Fig. '2 in this application is analogous to Fig.5

'of' the above-mentioned application, showing a fragmental portion of a moving'picture film providedwith a sound track.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental section on line .3-3 of Fig. 1, showing the means for detachably and reversibly supporting the exciter lamp frame.

55 Fig. 4 is a sectional view analogous to thelamp (Cl'. 179100.3) f

Fig. 9 is'a fragment'alsectional View as seen from the line99 of 'Fig. 1, showing a side view of the film gate and it's support and also indicating in section the end of a lever that is operated to openand close the gate, and also aid inholding it from vibration-when in use.

Fig. 10 is'aplan' vi'ew of thegate and locking lever as viewed from the line I0-l 0 of Fig. 9.

'Fig. 11-is an end view of the gate as viewed 20 from the line IIH of Fig.9, parts omitted for the sake of clearness in the drawings.

12 is an inside View of the film gate 'detac'hed from'the head and'showin'g it fully opened to show a"- 'gu.ide roller for the film and showing the -spring-siipporti'ng"guides for'the film; and also showing V the registering light passages through thegate,whereby the light from the exciter lampban'pass' through the gate and film to the photo-' electric cell when the door is closed.

Fig. 1 3 is a fragmental section on line l3*l3 of 'Fig. 12,-sl iowing"one of the spring 'suppo'rted guides that engagesthe edge Of the film to'h'old it from fiuttering or vibrating as it passes through the gate; 3 In detail the sound'head l5 includes an end chamber 16' forthe exciter lamps, a center chamber 'l! for the optical meter and'filmgate'and another end chamber l8 for the photo-electric cell (9.

The exciter lampsTfl are supported on a frame 2| that is'reversible on a support 22 that is securedto therear wall of the chamber Hi. This 'supportinclu'destwo'split fingers'ZSand '24 that are arranged to be forcibly extended into the holes 25 and 26 in the frame 2|. These holes extend entirely through the frame 2| sothat it can be withdrawn from the fingers and reversed tochange lampsin the event that the one in use becomes ineffective to perform its function. It is-understood that only one lamp is in use at any one time and-that an electric current is supplied to the lamps through the contact 21.

Preferably the support 22 is insulatedby an 55,

i'nsulating plate 28 from the rear wall of the room The fingers 23 and 24 are formed of spring metal and are also split and the parts slightly separated so the tension thereof will securely hold the frame 2| from vibration or sidewise motion when in use.

The frame 2| has adjustable end screws 39 that when they engage the support 22 hold the lamps 26 in position to perform their function. Also the frame 2| is provided with top and bottom adjustable screws 3| and 32 by which the lamps 29 are vertically adjustable.

From the foregoing it is obvious that the lamp frame can be easily and quickly pulled off of the fingers 23 and 24, reversed and replaced to change lamps when necessary; and also that the frame is adjustable endwise, and the lamps vertically to bring the lamps into exact register with the light path through the meter housed lens I58 and gate to the photo-electric cell IS.

The film gate 33 is secured to the rear wall of the chamber H by a support 34 that is similar to the support 22 in the chamber l6, so that the gate can be slid on and pulled off of the fingers 35 and 36 when it is to be removed or replaced.

The gate 33 includes the body 31 through which the holes for the fingers 35 and 36 are extended, and also it has the half of a vertical passage 38 for the moving picture film 39 and at the top of this half passage is a guide roller 40 over which the film runs when passing through the gate.

The hinged half of the gate 33 includes a door 4| that is hinged at 42 to the body 31, and it also has half of the vertical film-passage 38 at the sides of which are the spring-supported guides 43 that ride on the edges of the film 30 to keep it from flopping or vibrating when passing through the gate. In Fig. 13 one of the guides 43 is shown as supported by a spring 44 in the housing 45.

The door 4| has an opening 46 therethrough that is in register with the opening 41 through the body 31 when the door is closed, and the door is opened and closed by a lever 48 that is arranged to engage an extension 49 on the door 4|. The lever 48 is shown semi-diagrammatically as any suitable means may be employed that prevents the door from vibrating when in operation.

The optical lens meter 50 has a disk 5| at one end thereof that is secured to a wall 52 through which the hollow cylindrical end 53 is extended into position to receive the light from the exciter lamp 20 when it is in use. The meter includes inner and outer cylindrical shells54 and 55 with a meter screw 56 that is arranged tomove the inner shell 54 with its lens I58 toward or from the opening 41 through the gate body 31; and also the shells are provided with locking screws 51 and 58, whereby the parts can be secured from sliding movement when in operation.

The film 39 is provided with a sound track 59 that, when passing through the film gate 33, is in register with the openings 46 and so that light from the exciter lamp 2|) can pass through the meter lens I58, gate 33 and film 39 to the photoelectric cell |9, as previously described.

As diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 1, the film 39, after passing from the gate 33, is carried to the take-up magazine 60 by means of the guide rollers 6|, 62, and 63 and fire-gate 64.

As constructed, arranged and described, these improved parts positively prevent vibration or machine, the combination with a sound headhaving a center and end chambers therein, a support in one of said end chambers, split fingers on said support, a lamp frame having holes therethrough into which said fingers can be extended to frictionally hold and support said frame, exciter lamps on said frame, a photoelectric cell in said sound head, a film gate interposed between said lamps and photo electric cell and having a passage therethrough that is in focus with one of said lamps and photo electric cell, and means whereby said frame can be reversed to move one of said lamps into and the other out of focus with the light passage through said film gate to said photo-electric cell.

2. In a sound and moving picture reproducing machine the combination with a sound head having a center and end chambers therein, a support in one of said end chambers, split fingers on said support, a reversible lamp frame having holes therethrough into which said fingers can be extended to frictionally hold and support said frame, exciter lamps on said frame, a photoelectric cell in said sound head, a film gate interposed between said lamps and photo electric cell and having a passage therethrough that is in focus with one of said lamps and photo-electric cell, top and bottom screws for adjusting said lamps vertically, and end screws for limiting the endwise movement of said lamp frameto stop one of said lamps thereon in focus with the light passage through said gate.

3. In a sound and moving picture reproducing machine the combination with a sound head having a center and end chambers therein, a support in one of said end chambers, split fingers on said support, a lamp frame having holes therethrough into which said fingers can be extended to frictionally hold and support said frame, exciter lamps on said frame, means for adjusting said lampsvertically, other means for adjusting said lamp frame horizontally to move said lamps into a focusing position, a moving picture film gate in said center chamber, a photo-electric cell in said other end chamber, and means for passing the light'from said exciter lamp through said gate to said cell.

4. In a sound and moving picture reproducing machine, the combination with a sound head having center and end chambers therein, a support in said center chambers, split fingers on said support, a film gate having holes therein so it can be forced into said fingers, said gate having a vertical passage therethrough for a film and a. horizontal passage for light, a moving picture film having a sound-track thereon arranged to pass through said gate so its-sound track will be in register with the light passage through said gate, an exciter lamp in one of said end chambers, a photo-electric cell in the other end chamber, and means whereby the light from said lamp can pass through said gate and film track to said cell.

5. In a sound and moving picture reproducing machine. the combination with a sound head having a center and end chambers therein, a support in said center chambers, split fingers on said support, a removable film gate having holes therein so it can be forced onto said fingers, said gate having a vertical passage therethrough for a film and a horizontal passage for light, a moving picture film having a sound-track thereon arranged to pass through said gate so its sound track will be in register with the light passage through said gate, a hinged door to said gate that can be opened and closed when said gate is removed from said fingers, an exciter lamp in one of said end chambers, a photo-electric cell in the other end chamber, and means whereby the light from said lamp can pass through said gate and film track to said cell.

6. In a sound and moving picture reproducing machine, the combination with a sound head having a center and end chambers therein, a support in said center chambers, split fingers on said support, a film gate having holes therein so it can be forced onto said fingers, said gate having a vertical passage therethrough for a film and a horizontal passage for light, a moving picture film having a sound-track thereon arranged to pass through said gate so its sound track will be in register with the light passage through said gate, an exciter lamp in one of said end chambers, a photo-electric cell in the other end chamber, means whereby the light from said lamp can pass through said gate and film track to said cell,'and spring-pressed film guides on said door for preventing said moving picture film from vibrating when passing through said gate.

7. In a sound and moving picture reproducing machine, the combination with a sound head having center and end chambers therein, a support in said center chambers, split fingers on said support, a film gate having holes therein so it can be forced onto said fingers, said gate having a vertical passage therethrough for a film and a horizontal passage for light, a moving picture film having a sound-track thereon arranged to pass through said gate so its sound track will be in register with the light passage through said gate, an exciter lamp in one of said end chambers, a photo-electric cell in the other end chamber, means whereby the light from said lamp can pass" through said gate and film track to said cell, a guide roller on said gate, and springpressed film guides on said door arranged in said vertical passage for preventing said moving picture film from vibrating when passing through said gate.

8. In a sound and moving picture reproducing machine, the combination with a sound head having center and end chambers therein, a support in said center chambers, split fingers on said support, a film gate having holes therein so it can be forced onto said fingers, said gate having a vertical passage therethrough for a film and a horizontal passage for light, a moving picture film having a sound-track thereon arranged to pass through said gate so its sound track will be in register with the light passage through said gate, an exciter lamp in one of said end chambers, a photo-electric cell in the other end chamber, means whereby the light from said lamp can pass through said gate and film track to said cell, a guide roller on said gate,

JAMES W. EARLY. 

